Former Fox News host Ed Henry is facing new allegations of sexual assault and harassment from another female colleague. Jennifer Eckhart, a former Fox News executive producer, filed a court motion revealing fresh accusations against Henry. Eckhart had previously sued Henry in 2020, claiming he raped her in 2017. Despite Henry denying the allegations, Fox News terminated his employment upon learning of Eckhart’s claims.
In response to the allegations, Fox News conducted an investigation by an independent law firm and swiftly fired Henry within six days of learning about Eckhart’s accusations. Eckhart’s attorney, Michael J. Willemin, recently filed a 39-page motion opposing Fox News’ summary judgment, which included new claims of Henry assaulting another female colleague during his time at the network. The motion also alleged that multiple staff members had raised concerns about Henry’s behavior to management.
According to Mediaite, the motion further revealed instances of sexual misconduct and harassment involving other male colleagues who were still employed at Fox News. Despite these claims, Fox News has denied any wrongdoing and stated that Eckhart did not report her encounters with Henry or raise any complaints of harassment until after her termination in 2020.
Fox News released a statement in response to the latest filing, asserting that they were not aware of any relationship between Eckhart and Henry or any allegations of misconduct until after Eckhart left the company. Willemin countered by accusing Fox News of creating a “safe haven for men who engage in sexual harassment and assault,” citing Henry’s past behavior, including an affair with a Las Vegas stripper in 2016 that led to his suspension and treatment for sex addiction.
The motion highlighted a pattern of workplace sexual misconduct by Henry, including a “sexting incident” involving a network phone that was allegedly covered up by the DC Bureau. It also detailed a sexual relationship with another colleague that began in November 2016, before the alleged rape involving Eckhart in February 2017.
Despite Fox News’ denial of responsibility, Eckhart’s attorney argued that the network knew about Henry’s past behavior and failed to investigate claims of sexual misconduct in 2017. The ongoing legal battle between Eckhart and Fox News continues to shed light on the allegations against Henry and the network’s handling of the situation.
